In Medias Res
by 0ywiththepoodlesalready
Summary: As a new pack threatens the safety of Beacon Hills, alliances will be forged, lasting bonds created, and relationships tested. In other words, just your typical high school drama. Plus bloodthirsty Alphas. – My take on the beginning of Season 3. Eventually focusing on the pack-as-a-family dynamic.
1. Chapter 1

Scott slumped on his bed, tossing a foam basketball in the air and catching it absentmindedly. His history textbook was sprawled open next to him, though he had long since abandoned the pretense of studying, and the paper he had been taking notes on had fallen to the ground twenty minutes earlier. His sharp senses picked up noises from the yard, and he cocked his head to the side, listening as a ladder was set up and someone quickly climbed onto the roof. He knew before his best friend half fell through the open window that it was Stiles, mostly because anyone else who would use the window (Derek) would have just leapt onto the roof. Stiles jumped to his feet, straightening his jacket and observing the scene in front of him.

"You know, the funny thing is, I think you actually absorb more information when you _read_ the textbook," Stiles began, motioning to his friend's homework. When Scott gave no response other than to toss the ball in the air again, Stiles nodded.

"Yeah, I was surprised too, but according to recent studies, it isn't actually enough for the book to be _near_ you." Scott sighed, but remained quiet.

"I know!" Stiles continued, gesticulating wildly as he sprawled out in Scott's desk chair. "I was just as outraged! With today's technology, and the vast improvement of historical television in the last decade, it hardly seems fair that students are expected to _read _about the past_. _It's a travesty."

Scott dropped the ball on the bed and covered his face in his hands. "Stiles…" he began, his voice muffled.

"What? Why are you so mopey? Oh, don't tell me. It's that time of the month?" Stiles grinned, flashing his fingers in a shooting gesture as Scott sat up and tossed the basketball at his head.

"That joke was old a long time ago," Scott groaned, shaking his head a little. "If you must know…"

"I must, I must," Stiles said, leaning forward.

"I was just thinking about this one time Allison and I were in the woods," he began, a small smile crossing his lips. "And we were talking about the future- our future, I mean, together, and she had just told me that she-"

"Ohhhh, okay, Scott. No. I don't want to hear this," Stiles fake gagged, and shook his head at his best friend. "Dude. You have GOT to stop pining! You guys broke up, remember? And I know you're trying to like, win her back eventually, but she's not even in _town _right now_. _Remember? That weekend trip her dad took her on?So all this reminiscence is fruitless, at least for the moment. Although while we're on the subject of Allison and reminiscence…I mean, not to be a buzzkill or anything, but…"

Scott scowled, crossing his arms across his chest. "But what, Stiles?"

"But, it was only like a week ago that she was a crossbow-wielding werewolf- hunting bitc-I mean, that she was…you know, brainwashed by Gerard, who was the _real _problem, definitely not Allison, she's so…sweet, but her _family_ was full of crazies who wanted to kill you, right?!," he finished hurriedly, noting Scott's growing irritation. "I mean, all I'm saying is that…" he sighed, and looked at the ground. "Maybe it's good that you guys aren't together right now. I'm not saying forever, but I think you both should probably figure out how to get past this. That's all I'm saying," Stiles finished, putting his hands up defensively. Scott was quiet for a long moment.

"I guess you have a point. Allison never really even…like…grieved properly. For her mom," Scott mumbled, and Stiles dug his heels into the ground and spun the chair around in a circle, allowing himself a moment to grimace at the memory of exactly how it felt to get over your mother's death. It wasn't a topic they talked about often, and certainly not in an offhanded way, but that didn't mean it didn't come up (albeit tangentially) every once in a while. When he was facing Scott again, he took a deep breath and abruptly changed the topic.

"Soooo have you made up your mind about the pack?"

"Which pack?" Scott asked darkly.

Stiles smirked. "The good one. Well. The better one. The one we know." Scott remained quiet a minute too long, and Stiles drummed his fingers on the arms of the chair before continuing. "I mean, are you considering joining Derek?"

Scott slumped back against his pillow. "A couple big problems there. I mean, yeah, I don't think there's a way I can handle a group of Alphas on my own, right?"

"Well, not alone," Stiles smiled, shrugging a little. "Remember the warehouse? I was pretty badass with my jeep, right? Am I right? Practically on par with a certain group of werewolves?" Scott shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Stiles. My very _human_ friend. There is no way that _we_ can handle a group of Alphas. So the smartest decision would probably be to join forces. Strength in numbers and all that."

Stiles nodded slowly. "You don't sound thrilled."

"Yeah, well, I know I'd be stronger with them on my side, and they know it too. But…I told Derek he wasn't my Alpha. And I meant it- I don't want to be under his…authority, or whatever."

Stiles was uncharacteristically quiet for a moment. "I don't know if it's always about authority, in their pack. I mean, don't get me wrong, Derek can be a dick. And he's controlling and bossy and violent and could really work on his people skills. But, I think it's possible that he didn't really know what the hell he was doing when he got the whole Alpha gig. And I think he's been getting better."

"What makes you think that?" Scott asked.

Stiles sighed. "It's just the little things. Take Isaac, for example. He's like, ten times more outgoing now, than how he used to be. And with losing his dad and all- I mean, granted, his dad was an ass- but Isaac was alone until Derek came along…and Boyd! Boyd was so quiet, and he barely talked to anyone, and suddenly he's all buddy-buddy with Erica and he has a group and he's not so shy any more. And Erica- have you _seen_ Erica- she's a total bitch, of course, but she has this confidence now and she's always trying to protect Isaac and Boyd…" he trailed off before starting again, his tone determined. "My point is that they seem like a team. Like a family, sort of. It just feels like there's more to pack dynamics than worshipping the Alpha, you know what I mean?"

Scott stared at Stiles, wondering for the thousandth time how his best friend managed to pick up on so many details that he just didn't see, or wasn't willing to look for. Stiles had always been like that- one step ahead of Scott in so many ways. Stiles grabbed a pen from the desk and began clicking it on and off in an odd sort of rhythm. When Scott stayed quiet, he continued with a sigh.

"Look, man, what do I know? I'm not a werewolf. It's just that based on what I've observed, I think you should take the pack thing seriously. And I know you don't like the idea of being a beta, but I don't think anyone expects you to be…submissive, you know?"

Scott got up and began pacing the room. "Yeah, but if I back down now, that's exactly what I'll be doing. I'd pretty much have to follow Derek's lead, and answer to him, and-"

"Dude. Bigger picture?" Stiles cut in. "What's more important, your pride or your life? Or my life? I really hope you answer this question correctly, Scott."

"It's not just about _pride_, Stiles. IF he even lets me join the pack, and then I make that decision, there's no going back. I'm either in the pack or I have to attack him for the right to be Alpha. Which I'm not going to do, because I have no freaking clue how to be an Alpha, and I don't exactly want to take on training other werewolves." Scott ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. Stiles leaned forward, resting his elbow on the desk and putting his head in his hand.

"What do you want, then?" Stiles asked. "And I mean, beyond being with Allison," he continued as Scott opened his mouth to respond.

Scott sat back down. "I just want to feel…safe, I guess. I'd like to wake up in the morning and not feel like my mom or my best friend is going to die because of me. I don't know if that means I should join the pack or not."

Stiles thought for a minute. "So…should we make a pro/con list?" he finally asked, inching towards sarcasm, though there was a thread of legitimacy in the question. Scott suddenly went very still, and just as quickly jumped up from the bed, racing to his window and looking down. He gripped the windowsill tightly.

"I have a feeling the choice is about to be out of our hands," he muttered. Stiles crept over to the window and looked down. Two Alphas (they had to be Alphas, Scott wouldn't be so freaked out otherwise, and what WAS it with werewolves and those damn leather jackets?) got out of a black BMW down the street from Scott's house. As they walked up a driveway, Scott zeroed in on the large sign in the yard. The sign that read, "SOLD" and might as well have read "YOU'RE SCREWED, SCOTT." He slumped to the ground.

"They're moving in," he said faintly. "Right down the street." Stiles had turned almost white. He slid to the ground next to Scott.

"We should bring them a muffin basket or something. Ease the tension," Stiles whispered, but even his attempt at deflection fell flat. There was a long moment of silence.

"So…we should talk to Derek, right?" Stiles asked, resting his chin on his knees.

"Yeah. We should talk to Derek."

**A/N: So I couldn't leave Teen Wolf alone after the season finale, and I can't believe how long it'll be before it returns. This could go many different directions...please let me know what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So I'm trying to remain pretty close to the storyline of season 2, especially the finale, but I should warn you that I've gone kind of off-the-cuff in this chapter to fit the direction I'm going. Also, this scene was definitely supposed to be Derek and Scott facing off. I don't really know what happened.**

Derek slowly walked through the forest, focusing on the leaves underneath his feet rather than the house he was approaching. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he finally looked up, and his breath caught as he took it all in. This house, though long since abandoned, brought back many heart wrenching memories. Over ten years earlier, when his extended family had moved in together as a pack in the Hale house, their home began to seem small for the rapidly expanding brood. Though they all craved closeness, the number of young, rambunctious wolves running around and wrestling led to a lot of broken furniture, cracked windows, and headaches for the adults. Derek's uncle Eric hatched a plan, to build an enormous house, big enough for the _whole family_ to live in together comfortably. The best part was that Eric wanted to design the house with each pack member in mind, complete with training areas, and an expansive yard. The children had all loved the idea of a house "just for them", and spent hours talking about banisters they could slide down, a gigantic pool with water slides, and bedrooms with connecting doors so they could have sleepovers. With so many family members involved, an eleven year old Derek had expected the house to be built within months, but the idea faded into the background as his parents were suddenly confronted with "serious pack issues" that he was never old enough to be included in. But somewhere around his fourteenth birthday, a family member discovered a plot of land on the outskirts of town, surrounded by woods, whose owner was eager to sell.

And just like that, the plan was again in motion. For almost a year, off and on, Derek and his siblings and cousins rode their bikes after school to the site of the pack home that was slowly but surely being built. The floor plan was extensive; a dozen bedrooms, bathrooms, huge living rooms, an enormous kitchen, complete with an alcove surrounded by floor-to-ceiling bay windows. Staircases with intricately designed banisters led out into a sweeping front room with a handcrafted chandelier. It was magnificent, even before it was fixed up. And then the painting began- several of the children's rooms ended up with polka-dotted walls as a result of the inevitable paint fights that occurred, but when they were finally ready to furnish it, every room felt like _home._

A week later, in the midst of building and buying chairs and bedframes and an impossibly long kitchen table, Derek and Laura were on a run at the almost-completed new house when Laura's cell phone rang. Derek watched as her face went pale, and she collapsed to the ground, shaking with tears. He only caught a couple of words in the conversation, one of them being "fire". And that was the last either of them spoke of the pack house that was big enough for the _whole family_ and bursting with unfulfilled dreams.

Derek snapped out of his reverie, staring at the porch, which wrapped all the way around the building. He had personally requested this porch the day they started the floor plan, and his uncle had indulgently obliged. The wood creaked under Derek's feet as he stepped up to the door. He half expected the place to be covered in graffiti, but he supposed that it was far enough out of the bustle of town that it had been swallowed up and forgotten. With shaking hands, he took out a key that he hadn't thought about since the night of the fire. Several of the dirty windows were cracked and broken, and he could have easily found one he could slip through, but he felt that he owed it to his family to respect this building. The door protested as he swung it open, and a cloud of dust and debris assaulted his vision as he stepped inside. However, despite the cobwebs, dirt, and leaves strewn about the ground, his stomach still dropped at the sight of the chandelier his aunt had built. He walked through each room, distractedly making note of what he needed to fix and buy.

The tumultuous aftermath of the night of the now infamous Warehouse Incident had left Derek with little choice but to search for a new home for his pack. He had been desperately trying to avoid this house since he got back to town, going so far as to use an old subway station as a base camp, but he no longer felt it was safe there. It was too dark, and too closed off, and too quiet. He hadn't been sure he could handle the pain of returning to this house, but as he walked slowly through the upstairs bedrooms, running his hands absentmindedly over splotches of red and blue paint, he realized that he felt almost…ready, to start over and become the Alpha he never intended to be, with a new pack.

As he made his way out to his car, Derek's mind wandered back to that night a week ago, after his Betas had left him, Scott had rejected him, and the fight with Gerard had finally come to a head.

* * *

**One week earlier**

When Derek, Peter and Isaac had returned to the subway car after the Warehouse Incident, they were exhausted. Derek realized that he had yet to speak with Isaac about Erica and Boyd's desertion, and exactly how permanent it was, which would probably go really well considering Isaac's abandonment issues. However, Isaac had been pretty badly injured during the fight, and Derek decided that the "your packmates left you _for good_" conversation was one that could wait a day. He checked Isaac's injuries, relieved that they had healed nicely, and after Isaac passed out, he let himself drift to sleep. It was not a restful night; he was worried about the Betas who were technically Omegas at this point, terrified that Isaac would leave too, and deeply unsettled over Peter's continued presence. Peter had remained purposely vague about his plans, and Derek was leagues away from trusting him, but the sheer amount of information his uncle had afforded them so far was undeniably helpful. The next morning, Derek awoke very early to Peter treading heavily down the stairs. He glanced up as Peter paused in the doorway.

"There's something you need to see," his uncle said quietly, and so Derek woke Isaac up and they followed Peter all the way to the old Hale residence. When Derek saw the mark of the Alphas, he felt his heart sink. Peter, of course, was quick to inform Isaac exactly how easily Derek had manipulated his Betas into joining the pack, which should have made the boy hate him, but for some reason Isaac didn't look like he was about to turn tail and run (dog joke not intended, as Derek despised dog jokes). And then Peter dropped another bomb on them; the Alphas were there. In town. After a few minutes of stunned silence, Peter had cleared his throat, and glanced to Derek.

"I'm afraid I'll need to leave your pack for a while. Do some research, gather some intel. I'll let you, as the Alpha," he smirked before continuing, "handle the undoubtedly terrifying aftermath of this little discovery."

Derek stared at him, dumbfounded. There was a lot he needed to discuss with the man, none of which he particularly wanted to talk about in front of Isaac. As he tried to figure out his uncle's cloudy motivations, Peter reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, on which he scribbled a number.

"I'll be in touch. You do have one of these, right? A cell phone? Tell me you have a cell phone."

Derek wordlessly held up his phone, and Peter smiled. "I'll be seeing you." He had then strolled away. Actually _strolled. _Derek was torn between feeling horrified and feeling furious, and as he glanced at Isaac he added a stab of guilt to that equation. As soon as he recovered all of his faculties, he immediately thought about Boyd and Erica, alone in the woods at night with a pack of Alphas roaming around. He quickly called each of them before growling as they went straight to voicemail.

"Let's go home," he said eventually, and Isaac (to his surprise) followed without a word.

Back at the subway station, Isaac mentioned something about going for a walk by himself and clearing his head, and the Alpha didn't have the heart to stop him. As time slowly passed, Derek felt his tenuous grip on control slipping. He spent the better part of an hour pacing and worrying, alternately texting Isaac to be careful and to stay out of the woods, and calling Erica and Boyd repeatedly. They weren't even his Betas any more, he reminded himself, but he couldn't stop worrying and hating them for leaving, and he was beginning to hate himself for it.

So he was pretty much furious with them when they arrived an hour later, tears streaming down Erica's bloody face as she leaned into a terrified and injured Boyd. Erica had rushed forward and basically flown into Derek's arms, and it was perfectly natural for a Beta to seek the comfort of an Alpha, but Derek had told himself that they had definitively left the pack, and Erica's actions threw him for a minute. However, the instinct to comfort her was overwhelming, and despite the fact that he had wanted to throw them into a wall a minute earlier, he wrapped his arms tightly around the sobbing girl, and made eye contact with Boyd before detaching one arm from his hold and placing a hand at the back of his neck, squeezing lightly and hoping it was comforting. He saw that Isaac had trailed down the stairs after them, and let out a little sigh of relief, as all three of them were, for the time being, safe. After a couple of minutes Erica's tears slowed, and he gently held her at arm's length for a moment.

"What happened? Who did this?" he growled, and she just about broke down again.

"I'm so sorry, Derek. We should never have left, it was stupid, we just-" she took a deep shuddering breath and wiped at her eyes with her sleeve. "We didn't know what we were getting into, with the bite, and then the kanima and the hunters and it was all just too much."

Boyd cleared his throat. Although he was acting much more composed than Erica, he looked pretty shaken. "We were running away from the problem, and I…I realize now we should have stayed and tried to fix what we started. We were captured, by the Argents. They tortured us for information…and then Chris Argent let us go, and-"

"Will you let us stay in the pack?" Erica blurted out, and she was trembling, and Derek could sense how very afraid they both were. He was upset and conflicted, and he could tell that Erica and Boyd could feel it. But there were bigger problems to deal with than their desertion, and he knew he had to hear their story before he could think about anything else. He turned away from the teens long enough to find the first aid kit, and then motioned for them to sit so he could tend to their injuries.

"Why don't you tell me what happened?" Derek responded instead, and Erica looked up at him balefully, as if she might start crying again at any moment. It took all of his willpower not to accept them back immediately, and he knew that stemmed from his innate need for family- for pack. But he also knew that there were a lot of explanations needed on both sides of the equation, and that was a conversation that could wait, at least for a little while. The expression on Boyd's face when he came in was his main priority at the moment.

Boyd seemed to take his cue, and glanced at Erica before diving in.

"We were in the woods, after we left, and we heard all these howls…"

* * *

They had been excited, at first, at the prospect of a new pack. With people who could protect them against a kanima, and maybe even take them away from Beacon Hills. But beneath that excitement laid a very persistent fear that they both worked hard to ignore. Even as they were leaving Derek, Boyd couldn't help but feel a little sick at the prospect of venturing out on their own. But they had heard wolves, and they told themselves that this pack would be bigger, and more powerful, and just _better._ And then they had been captured, and tortured, and they realized as they refused to give up Derek for the hundredth time that they had lost their resolve entirely. The second they were freed, the pair escaped into the woods, hoping to run right back into their pack. And it was then that they were confronted with four pairs of terrifying red eyes.

"Well, well. What's this?" A tall man with dark hair and a smile that was almost feral stepped towards them, claws extended in a casually intimidating manner. Boyd instinctively pushed Erica behind him, shielding her with his arms and looking desperately around the half-circle the pack had formed, his own claws lengthening more out of reflex than conscious thought.

"Betas?" a woman snarled from the shadows. "They're practically _children, _Alexander," she sneered, and the man who had originally spoken laughed lightly.

"Now what would two Betas be doing in the middle of the woods without their pack?" he asked, his tone polite in a way that made Erica's spine tingle. Boyd took a deep breath.

"We aren't Betas. We're Omegas."

"Omegas?" another woman asked, stepping forward so that they could see her slight frame, and long red hair. "Two of you?"

"So you're saying you aren't part of Derek Hale's pack, then?" Alexander asked sharply.

Boyd searched quickly for the best possible answer, which would hopefully keep the rest of the pack safe. "We were turned by Peter Hale, who is now dead. Our allegiance is to our original Alpha, not to Derek Hale," he responded, and he could feel Erica tense behind him, before she spoke as well.

"We're not part of a pack any more," her voice quivered uncontrollably.

"She's lying!" the first woman growled, and she stalked forward, moving past Boyd before he had a chance to react and pinning Erica to a tree. She had long black hair, and a wild look to her that frightened Erica to the core. "Say it again!" the woman instructed, digging her nails into Erica's arm. "Say you aren't part of a pack."

Erica shot a sharp look at Boyd, who was now being held back by the other male Alpha. "We…" her voice trembled, "we aren't part of a pack." Erica could practically feel her heartbeat jumping out of her chest, and she couldn't imagine that the Alpha didn't hear it as well, at this distance. The woman's eyes flashed red, but she turned back to her cohorts.

"That was the truth," she said quietly, suspicion lacing her tone. Erica let out a sigh of relief, before feeling a sudden stab of fear in the knowledge that leaving Derek earlier was apparently…official. They were Omegas, and they were all alone against a pack of red-eyed Alphas.

"What should we do with them?" the man holding Boyd asked, looking between them as if they were insects buzzing around his ankles.

"They're untrained, and they're weak", the woman holding Erica sniffed. "We have no use for pathetic Omegas. They'll do us more harm than good. Let's…get rid of them," she finished delicately, raking her nails down Erica's arm and pinning her against the tree so forcefully that she struggled to breath. Erica whimpered a little, and met Boyd's terrified, furious stare. He looked as if he was about to wolf out and try to kill their captors, and Erica gave him the tiniest headshake possible, silently pleading with him to remain calm for the moment.

Alexander sighed, as if the entire conversation was tiring. "They're teenagers."

"And?!" The woman spat.

"And, Esther, teenagers live with their parents. If they go missing, police are called immediately. Reinforcements. A lot more _mess_ for us to deal with. A greater chance that our plans will go unfulfilled."

"Personally, I think we can deal with the aftermath," Esther said quietly, watching Erica's movements with a predatory amount of interest. Erica willed herself not to panic.

"We don't kill our kind, Esther," the redhead snapped. Erica's gaze locked on this woman, hoping against hope…

"We do if they get in our way," Esther hissed back. "Besides, they are _barely _our kind, Danielle, just look at them. Weaklings."

"Calm down, now. They might be useful to us for the moment. We are looking to speak with Derek Hale. Where does he live?" Alexander asked silkily. "Surely you must know that much."

They both paused for a moment too long, because Esther slapped Erica across the face, leaving bloody gashes where her nails dug in. Erica cried out in pain, and Boyd's eyes flashed as he tried to detach himself from his captor. The alpha holding him took the opportunity to slash at his chest, inflicting long, deep wounds across his body, before dragging him backwards, away from Erica.

"Let's try that again. Where is Derek's house?" Alexander asked, his voice growing colder.

"In the woods! The Hale house is in the woods. It's…it's…that way. Ten miles East," Erica gasped, her hand covering her bloody cheek, tears leaking out of her eyes. The Alphas growled, all looking intently in the direction of the home. Erica almost sagged in relief- although she could answer him the second time, and remain honest (technically it was still Derek's house, though he definitely did not live there), eventually they would start asking them the right questions, her heartbeat would betray her, and they would surely figure out where the pack was.

"Well?" Alexander asked with mock patience. "Is she telling the truth, or do we need to convince her to be honest?"

"She isn't lying," Esther confirmed. "Although we could-"

At that moment, the Alpha holding Boyd took another step back, and walked directly into one of the Argent's traps. He lost his grip on Boyd as he was lifted by the ankle into the air, and he roared in anger. Chaos erupted in the forest as the Alphas shifted, snapping and searching for any sign of movement in the woods.

"Hunters!" the captured Alpha yelled. He growled darkly, his eyes flashing red.

"They could be anywhere!" Alexander snapped, leaping forward to slice down the rope holding the trapped wolf captive.

"We need to get out of here! We need to regroup!" Danielle called out. Esther looked around with a growl, and then gave Erica a sickly sweet smile, grabbing her hair and yanking her head up so they made eye contact.

"I'm sure I'll be seeing you later," she hissed quietly, and Erica shuddered. Just as quickly as they had appeared, the pack melted away into the night, leaving Boyd and Erica clutching each other, shaking with fear.

* * *

"And then we ran straight here." Boyd, who had been explaining the story, finished hesitantly, wincing as Derek tied up the bandages around his torso. "We waited at the edge of the woods for the rest of the night to make sure we weren't followed, and then when it was morning we ran in separately, from different directions. I…I think we're alone."

Derek sighed deeply, regretting every second he had known about the presence of an Alpha pack. "This is my fault," he began quietly, and the Betas- because desperately he still thought of them as his Betas even though they weren't- watched him curiously.

"I knew there was a threat to Beacon Hills," he began slowly. "And while I did think you could all benefit from being werewolves, I also thought you could make me stronger in the case of an attack. It wasn't fair of me to turn you without letting you know all the risks. I was...using you. I never thought they would get here this quickly, I thought we would be better prepared for this…if it weren't for the kanima, I would have prepared you…," he trailed off, and then shook his head. "I won't make excuses for myself. I knew there was a pack of Alphas coming, and I didn't warn you. And now you are all in danger because of me." He glanced between them, making eye contact with Isaac, who was sitting on the stairs and hugging his knees to his chest. "I can't ask you to remain in this pack any longer. It's selfish. Boyd and Erica have already renounced my leadership," (Erica winced a little, but remained quiet),"and if you do as well, Isaac, you will all be Omegas. They might leave you alone entirely if I get out of town. I can force them to abandon Beacon Hills."

"By yourself? But they'll kill you," Erica said quietly, eyes large with fear.

Derek watched her for a moment, thinking about divulging everything he knew or believed, before deciding that a simple answer would suffice for the moment. "Somehow I think there's more to it than that," he said slowly. "I don't think this is just about me, or my pack."

Isaac stepped down from the stairs to join them, eyebrows raised. "Well, I'm not leaving the pack. You guys are all I have," he said bluntly, and Erica let out a strangled sort of half sob.

"I'm so sorry, Isaac. I'm so sorry for leaving you," she whispered. Isaac blinked, struggling to remain impassive. He stared at the ground.

"Don't worry about it," he responded quietly.

"Isaac," Derek cut in, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I can't ask you to stay with me. This is far too dangerous- judging by how they treated Boyd and Erica, the Alphas might see you as collateral damage." Isaac shrugged, still looking at the floor, before reluctantly meeting Derek's gaze.

"Well you didn't ask, I volunteered. And also, after getting shot in the chest by hunters and chasing down a kanima, I'm suddenly not so afraid of werewolves." He gave a quirky half-smile that didn't quite meet his eyes, and Derek glared at him.

"Isaac. You-"

"I'm not leaving," Isaac said again, and the joking tone was gone.

"Neither am I," Boyd put in, and his voice was strong and confident. "I saw what life was like outside this pack, and I know I want in. If that means we need to train harder, then we train harder. Also, I'd really like to kill the bitch who hurt Erica." He gave Erica a small smile, before meeting Derek's eyes. "That is, if you'll still have me."

Derek stared at his Betas, not quite daring to believe that this was happening. They were choosing, actually volunteering, to be a part of his pack, despite the fact that he had lied to them and basically been a terrible Alpha. Erica cleared her throat, and Derek turned to her, slightly dazed.

"Derek, you guys are…you're like my brothers. I'm not leaving either. Ever again, actually. I might just stay here in this subway car." She met Isaac's eyes with determination. Derek almost smiled, but he knew they had to be _sure _before he gave in to the warm stirrings of happiness threatening to engulf him.

"You guys. I can't just let you throw yourselves into battle, here. You don't know what you're getting into. _I _don't know what you're getting into. This could go unbelievably badly."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Pain and torture and the like. Been there, done that," Boyd said almost flippantly, and Derek growled in response. Erica rolled her eyes.

"We get it, Derek. Honestly. But…you were right for turning us. This is where we belong. Even if that means we're terrified and fighting Alphas, at least we'll be a pack."

Derek let out a long breath, glancing once more between the teens. Though he was sure he would regret this, he gave in. "Okay then. We're a pack."

There had been an unseemly amount of hugging after that, but Derek for once didn't mind the closeness. It had been a very long time since he had felt so connected to his pack.

Eventually Derek pulled away from them and met their eyes. "There's a lot for us to discuss. And we need to make a plan for dealing with the Alphas."

His Betas practically snapped to attention, and Derek suddenly noticed that it was midmorning, and they had been up all night. He imagined they must be exhausted. If he was going to start working on his Alpha skills, he figured he should start by giving them a break.

"First things first," he began, smiling a little as he prepared to thoroughly confuse them. "We need to nap. And then make some brunch."

* * *

**Present Day**

Derek leaned against his car and looked back at the new Hale house, mentally cataloguing everything he knew about the Alphas. Erica and Boyd had given rough descriptions of each of them, and while that wasn't nearly as reassuring as knowing their scent in either wolf or human form, he took comfort in the knowledge that they did not know his scent, either, and he could remain anonymous for at least a little while. Derek knew that attempting to learn about them from afar was not a long-term solution, but he had always liked the expression "know your enemy".

He knew that the presence of hunters in Beacon Hills had come as a surprise to the Alphas based on their extreme reaction to the trap, and the fact that it had scared them enough to run from Erica and Boyd when they could have forced the Omegas to call Derek to them. Derek figured he could also use this to his advantage, as the Argents were formidable opponents who were now very tentatively at a truce with his pack.

What troubled Derek the most was that the last week had been eerily peaceful. If the Alphas had really wanted Derek and his pack dead, he had a feeling they would have found him the night of the Warehouse Incident. Though his pack was being extremely cautious entering and leaving the subway car, it only took so long to match a name to a face, and Derek, ex-murder suspect that he was, wasn't exactly the most unrecognizable guy in town. The fact that they hadn't been actively searching for him, or any of them, in a week led Derek to believe that while "regrouping", they may have decided to prolong their stay in town. Although it was a relief that their plan extended beyond "kill Derek Hale and his Betas", he had a horrible flashback of Gerard Argent taking over the high school as principal, and wondered what exactly the pack of Alphas was planning in Beacon Hills.

And then there was this voice inside Derek that kept telling him to remember something. Something from a long time ago, that maybe he never fully understood. Something that Peter probably knew more about than he did. Frustrating as the nagging voice was, Derek had a feeling that the memory in question would help him deal with the Alphas, and so he resolved to try to solve this mystery.

For now, though, Derek planned to move his pack into the woods, where their scents spanned for miles and were easily lost and confused. He would feel a little safer coming home to the house his family had built, and from there, they could formulate a solid plan. As he got back in the car, his cell phone buzzed on the passenger seat.

He stared at the phone and grimaced.

"What do you want, Scott?" he answered with a growl, and he heard a gulp on the other end of the line.

"I…Derek, I need your help."

Derek said nothing.

"There's a lot I need to tell you," he continued.

Derek made an exasperated noise in the back of his throat, and waited for Scott to go on.

"Please…I wouldn't call if it wasn't important," Scott said quietly.

"Important?! Try LIFE THREATENING," he heard Stiles in the background, and he rolled his eyes.

"Fine. Meet me on the lacrosse field in twenty minutes." He ended the call and took a deep breath. As busy as he'd been, he hadn't talked to Scott since the Warehouse Incident- since he had basically been dismissed as an Alpha. Not that Derek hadn't been checking in on him periodically, but between watching after his pack and trying to sniff out the Alphas covertly, he didn't really have the chance to think about how angry he was with the kid. With one last look at the house, Derek drove off, asking himself once again why he was rushing to the aid of the impossibly frustrating Scott McCall.

**A/N: Thank you guys so much for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! I really appreciate it, and it makes me insanely happy. :) **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the wait! Just a heads up, this probably strays from the season 2 storyline a little more to fit my purposes. Thanks for sticking with the story so far!**

Stiles parked his jeep and turned to Scott, raising his eyebrows expectantly. "He looks happy," he said finally, staring across the lacrosse field to see Derek glaring menacingly back at them from near one of the goals. Scott groaned and opened the passenger door before Stiles reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Dude! Do you even know what you're going to say? And aren't you a little worried that he's going to kill you when you get out of the jeep?"

Scott paused, hand on the door handle, and grimaced. Derek was indeed giving off murder-y vibes. "You know he can hear you, right?" Scott asked, swinging the door closed again and leaning against the headrest, thinking about what he was going to tell the Alpha.

Stiles looked back to Derek, who began to stride toward them.

"Oh, crap. Abort plan. Abort plan," Stiles muttered frantically, shrinking down in his seat and reaching out to start the car.

Scott rolled his eyes, and took hold of Stiles' wrist. "Would you calm down? He's mad at me, not you." He heard a growl from Derek's direction, and quickly got out of the jeep. He turned back to Stiles, biting his lip. "Stiles…would you stay here for now? There's a lot I need to work out with him, and he does look pretty pissed. Maybe wait until his eyes aren't flashing red? You know- just for your own safety."

Stiles nodded slowly. Scott sighed. "And…as for what we were talking about earlier…I'll ask him, okay? Assuming he doesn't kill me first?"

Stiles nodded again, looking like he wanted to say more, but Scott was already slamming the door and jogging over to meet Derek near the field boundary.

Before he had even cleared the parking lot, the older man was growling at him. "I have a lot to deal with right now, Scott," he snapped. "What do you want?"

Scott winced as he felt waves of anger rolling off the Alpha.

"I need to tell you something. It's about…well, it's a lot to explain, but basically there's another pack of werewolves in Beacon Hills, and they're all Alphas and they're moving in on my street and-"

"How do you know about the Alphas?" Derek snarled, breaking Scott's rambling by shoving him into the chain-link fence behind them, triggering a loud rattle that reverberated around the field. Scott stared at him, wide-eyed, for a moment.

"Wait, you already know about the Alphas?! How? Have you talked to them?"

"Scott! You told me you have information. If you know anything about them, tell me!" Derek responded sharply.

Scott opened his mouth to reply before suddenly realizing that the answer was probably not something Derek wanted to hear. He gaped for a moment, and Derek's eyes flashed red.

"_Scott_," he growled warningly, moving as if to shove him again.

"Okay, okay! So after Gerard disappeared, I was going to Allison's house, because we were thinking of breaking up…"

Derek nodded impatiently, and Scott heaved a sigh of resignation. "It's kind of a long story, Derek…"

"_Keep talking_," he instructed firmly, and Scott rolled his eyes but started from the beginning.

* * *

**1 week earlier... **

Scott walked up the Argents' driveway slowly. Allison had texted earlier, asking him to come over so they could "have a talk". Scott had been worrying constantly about their relationship, and he had a sinking feeling that Allison was going to officially break up with him that night. It might be for the best; she was all over the place after her mother's death, and it was probably the right thing to do- to give her a little space and let her figure out her feelings without him around. But that didn't make it any easier to handle at present. Scott bit his lip and scuffed his shoes on the driveway, dragging his feet and glancing up to Allison's open window. He considered just scaling onto the roof, to save himself the trouble of running into Chris Argent. Scott suddenly caught a glimpse of Allison in her room. She was pacing back and forth, and he watched as she hastily wiped her eyes and seemed to gather herself. His heart twisted- this was going to be hard for him, but he had a feeling it would be harder for Allison. Allison, who had basically cut herself off from everyone she had connected with at school, who had trusted the wrong member of her family, and lost her aunt, mother, and grandfather in the span of a year. Scott stood there on the driveway for a while, deliberating how best to handle the upcoming conversation. He was startled out of his thoughts when the front door opened, and Chris Argent scowled down the driveway at him.

"Coming in, McCall?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Scott reluctantly trudged up to the front door, and passed Mr. Argent with a small, respectful nod.

"I'm just here to-"

"Talk to Allison. I know. She told me you were coming." Scott nodded again and was about to walk upstairs when Mr. Argent cleared his throat. Scott turned to face him.

"I….need a word with you, first," Chris said, glancing up the stairs to confirm that Allison hadn't heard Scott yet. He turned on his heel and walked toward the kitchen. Scott frowned, confused, before following the man. He caught up with him just as Chris closed the fridge and opened a beer, taking a long drink before turning to face him. He looked agitated, which made Scott nervous about the direction of the conversation. Scott had thought that Mr. Argent would be over the moon about how estranged Allison was with her boyfriend. Maybe he thought Allison was going to make up with him? Chris paused, as if debating over something, and then opened the fridge again and handed a beer to him, and Scott's eyes narrowed in response. What was going on? Was this like a thing now? Drinking beers together when Allison wasn't around? As Scott puzzled over his intentions, Chris leaned against a counter and sighed.

"I don't particularly want to discuss this with you, but I think you need to know."

Scott raised his eyebrows, and slowly opened his beer and took a drink.

"There is a pack of werewolves that we believe is nearing Beacon Hills. They are different and more dangerous than other packs, because their group is comprised of four Alphas."

Scott nearly spit out the beer. "Four Alphas?! But…how do you even know that?!"

Chris leveled an impassive look on him before opening a drawer and rifling through papers. He came out with a file folder that he laid out and stared at for a moment.

"Before…Kate, before my father came back to Beacon Hills, he was involved in…a feud, between a group of hunters and four packs of werewolves. The packs were all in different parts of Los Angeles," he pointed to a map that was quartered off, "and there was a longstanding agreement between the Alphas not to cross the boundaries into one another's territory. However, one of the packs…well, it was believed that they were responsible for a string of "animal attacks" in town. There wasn't conclusive evidence, but this group of hunters had...a strong personal hatred of the pack. Let me be clear, Scott, the Code isn't just passed down in our family- it is a tradition spanning generations of hunters all over the world. But this group…" he broke off, took a drink, and looked back at the paper. "The hunters had a vendetta against this pack, you don't need to know the details, but they decided to break the Code, and demolish all four packs in the area at one time, despite the fact that there was no evidence linking the other packs to human casualties. They joined forces with other hunters, and brought Gerard in to head their mission."

He began rifling through the pages once more, his mouth twisting into a painful expression. "They came up with a plan, to lure each of the Alphas away from their packs under the pretense that the other packs were not respecting their territory. There were six of them- two Alpha couples, and two solitary leaders. The idea was to isolate all of the Alphas, and to…" he pursed his lips together, and finally met Scott's eyes.

"Kill the packs," Scott breathed, leaning against the counter. "But how?"

Chris looked at the counter for a moment, and shook his head. "Listen, Scott, they wouldn't have gone to such extreme measures if they didn't think the packs were at least a danger to human lives- I'm not condoning what they did, but-"

"Which was what? Trap them inside a house and burn them alive? Like what Kate did to the Hale pack?" He asked vehemently. Chris was silent, which was enough indication for Scott to grimace and put his head in his hands. "Then what?" he asked quietly.

Chris sighed. "At first, their strategy worked. They had enough manpower to destroy the packs while the Alphas were away. They planned to kill the Alphas…eventually. But they wanted the leaders to know the fate of their packs first. They didn't anticipate their reaction."

"How could they not anticipate a negative reaction? After killing their packs- their families?!" Scott hissed angrily, trying to keep his voice low.

"Oh, they anticipated a negative reaction, they just assumed that the Alphas would turn on one another- kill each other, before assuming an outside force was involved. The hunters, Gerard especially, were very careful to cover their tracks. But the Alphas found out who was responsible, and they bonded together…which is just, unheard of. Alphas don't work together- it's not in their nature. The hunters assumed they would be fighting against the one or two Alphas who…overtook the others. But the six of them formed a pack of their own, and it was just chaos. It was unclear how many hunters the Alphas knew of, or when they were going to strike…families moved, and then there were battles…some hunting groups were attacked, two of the Alphas were captured and killed…and then the rest of the Alphas disappeared. For weeks. And I'm guessing that was the point where Gerard found out about the cancer…I've had to piece it together based on his journal and his notes, but some of my men have discovered evidence of a new pack making its way towards Beacon Hills- the evidence points to the Alphas. I don't know what they are doing here, although I strongly suspect Derek Hale will be involved. But I know they are coming."

Scott stared at him, dumbfounded. He finished off his beer and glanced at the file before meeting Mr. Argent's gaze. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because of something you told me a long time ago, Scott. After Peter Hale attacked the school. You told me you were doing everything you could to keep my daughter safe. That you would do anything it took to protect her. And I believe you. This doesn't mean I'm joining forces with Hale's pack, it means that we have bigger problems to worry about right now than fighting each other. And I believe that you will continue to look after my daughter, am I right?"

"Yes, sir. I would do anything for her. Anything."

Chris nodded. "This is dangerous information, Scott. If you decided to betray this family…if those Alphas ever found out that we are related to Gerard, they would target her immediately. Do you understand?"

Scott bobbed his head up and down emphatically, and Chris continued. "I'm choosing to trust you with this because I think you can help keep my daughter safe. As long as her best interests are at heart, then we do not have a problem…currently."

"So, like a truce?" Scott asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Yes," Chris told him reluctantly, extending his hand for Scott to shake. Scott took the proffered hand and met his eyes.

"I'll keep her safe," he promised, and Chris stared at him.

"Good," he responded quietly.

"Although…I don't think I'm here just to talk with Allison. I don't think she wants me to be near her right now, and I…I'll respect that, of course, sir. But I'll never stop loving your daughter."

Argent watched him with an unreadable expression, before nodding slightly. "Good to know," he said dryly. "Now, come take a look at this. These are photographs and descriptions of the Alphas that Gerard managed to collect. Study these faces, Scott. Study everything my father knew about them, and use them to your advantage, because if we are going to take down this pack, we need every advantage we can get."

Scott picked up the pictures just as they heard footsteps on the stairs. "Take this with you," Chris instructed quietly, as Allison walked into the kitchen, and Scott immediately schooled his expression into something that did not resemble complete confusion and fear.

* * *

"So basically, the Alphas are here, and they just moved in a few houses away from me, and I'm freaking out!" Scott finished agitatedly.

Derek stared at him, hard. "So let me get this straight. Chris Argent is going to help you locate and kill werewolves. _That _is whom you've decided to trust. The family who almost killed my pack."

Scott gaped at him. "No, Derek, that's not…I didn't know…Chris just showed me…" he broke off with a frown.

Derek growled, and abruptly turned away, walking a few paces before Scott spoke.

"Derek, what am I going to do?! They live on my street!" He called out desperately.

"Then I suggest you move," Derek responded tersely, without turning around.

"DEREK! I need your help! I have no idea what they want!" Scott yelled frantically, and with a bit of anger underlying his tone.

Derek kept walking, until Scott desperately came up behind him and shoved him in the back. "Would you stop?!" Scott yelled. Derek froze, feeling the familiar sensation of filling with rage. He stayed silent.

"What, so you're pissed at me, and you get to be a terrible Alpha because of that?!" Scott yelled at him.

Derek turned slowly; half wolfed out already, and threw Scott hard into the ground before answering.

"But I'm not your Alpha, Scott, remember?" he growled, his voice lined with bitterness and rage.

Scott winced from where he landed, before scrambling to his feet again. "Can we just focus on the bigger picture here?" he asked, voice faltering. "Can we deal with the Alphas and then fix…all of this?"

Derek stepped closer to Scott, wanting to shake the kid by the shoulders for being so clueless. "No! No I can't, because I don't trust you, Scott! You pretended to work with me and my pack, and the entire time you were working for Gerard! Getting information on us, and giving it to a family of werewolf hunters. And all because you can't see past your childish feelings for that damn girl!" he finished angrily. A little stunned, Scott paused for a minute before replying quietly.

"Well you don't have to worry about that any more. Allison and I broke up."

Derek rolled his eyes. "That's really comforting, Scott. But like you told _Chris_, you're always going to love her. Meaning, you will always make her a priority. When it comes down to it, whose side are you on? Where does your allegiance lie? With the Argents?!"

"But…that's the thing. With Gerard gone, it's not…we don't have to be on different sides. It doesn't have to be us or them any more."

"See, that's your problem, Scott. Chris Argent helps you out one time, gives you one piece of information, and you just decide that he's trustworthy! Never mind the fact that his basic beliefs are that werewolves are dangerous and need to be taken down. You really believe he suddenly _trusts_ you now?"

Scott stared at him for a moment, openmouthed. "I think being at peace with him, even if it's temporary, is better than fighting him and the Alphas!"

Derek growled. "You never _think._ Why do you suppose he joined up with you at the warehouse? Gerard was becoming a danger to his family, so Chris turned against him, and you could help him do that. Don't you understand?! He's playing you, Scott! He's using your feelings for Allison to protect himself, and his family, and all the hunters who were _ready to kill us_ a few weeks ago. He made it pretty clear that the only reason you have a truce at all is because you'll put Allison first! But what would he say if you were part of the pack? Would he still trust you then?"

Scott looked at the ground. "I'm not saying we're like…allies. I just, I trust him to help-"

"You're an idiot for trusting him at all! He's using you!" Derek yelled. Scott's expression suddenly morphed into anger.

"Oh, sort of like how you used me to help you kill Peter?!" he shouted back. "And how you lied to me about a cure so that I would stay on your side?"

Derek let out a fearsome growl, and stepped very close to Scott. "You needed to stop Peter as much as I did. He's the one that turned you, in case you've forgotten. Would you rather have joined him? Killed your friends and joined his pack?"

Scott rolled his eyes. "Of course not, I'm just saying-"

"You're just saying that you find it hard to trust me. Because I needed your help to kill the Alpha, and I knew how to get you to help me. You needed to be on my side, Scott."

"Right, so how does that make you any different from Chris Argent?!"

"Because I'm trying to PROTECT you, you moron! Believe it or not, I'm working to keep you and your stupid friends ALIVE, and taking down the Alpha was a part of that! Chris Argent doesn't give a damn about you- he is only thinking about himself and Allison- I'm thinking about the safety of my pack!" Derek stopped abruptly, as he realized he had sort of referred to Scott as part of the pack. Despite what he told the kid about being an Alpha on his own, it was no secret that Derek wanted Scott to join him.

Scott looked at the ground, calming down. He couldn't deny that Derek had protected him numerous times. And despite how he related to the Alpha, deep down he believed that Derek wasn't a bad guy, but that rather like Scott, he had been forced into difficult situations. And then there was this huge part of Scott that ached for the pack. He tried to silence this feeling as much as he could, because it was just so hard to put his trust in anyone, but his inner wolf yearned for it, and he was just so _tired _of trying to deal with each week's new brand of psycho killer by himself. His main reasoning for not joining the pack had always been his relationship with Allison, but seeing as they were separated, Scott finally accepted that he needed all the help he could get, and that joining the pack was probably the best decision he could make for himself. He looked back up at Derek, and swallowed his pride.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, and Derek raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "I'm sorry that I lied to you and that I didn't tell you about Gerard or my plan. I just…I didn't know how to handle them threatening the people I love, so I went along with him. I didn't know what else to do, and I didn't trust you. But I see that now…and I see the benefit of working as a team." He pursed his lips together, before lowering his voice. "I'm not an Alpha, Derek, and I can't keep the people I love safe."

Derek breathed out heavily, some of his anger fading as he watched Scott. Derek understood that sentiment, of feeling helpless and desperate to protect your family. But he couldn't help being infuriated by the Beta. That was the thing about Scott- it was hard to fault him for caring so damn much, and trying to save everyone. But he was reckless, and impulsive, and naïve, and it was maddening to try to keep him out of harm's way. Derek shook his head a little, glaring at the Beta.

"And how do I know that the next time you feel threatened, you won't turn against me?" Derek asked finally, and Scott's eyes widened as he realized what Derek was leading up to.

"I won't. I won't betray you again. I know I can't do this alone."

Derek rolled his eyes, and spoke sternly. "But how can I trust you, Scott?"

Scott hesitated before answering. "Look, I can't promise you that I'm not going to protect Allison whenever I'm able to. So if that's what it takes for you to trust me, then it's never going to happen…but I can promise you that I won't ever let my feelings for her endanger anyone else in the pack again," he finished, looking to Derek with a bit of hope in his expression. Derek processed this for a moment. Scott shifted his feet, and finally spoke again.

"I want to be a part of the pack, Derek. I'll do whatever it takes to prove myself."

The Alpha in Derek crowed victoriously at a Beta whom he hadn't turned electing to join him, but Derek scowled in response. "I need to know if you are just trying to become pack because you're scared about the people you love, or if you actually think it's the right decision."

"Does it really matter why I want to?" Scott asked, digging one of his toes into the grass beneath his feet.

"Yeah, Scott, it really matters," Derek snapped. "Fear fades, and if that's your strongest motivation, I can't accept you as my Beta."

Scott scowled. "Why don't you listen to my heartbeat and tell me if I'm lying then?" he asked. Derek glared at him, but moved a little closer.

"I want to join because…" Scott broke off, glancing at Derek. "Because I can't keep doing this alone…I need to be a part of something bigger than just me, and I think the pack is the best place for me. Do I think it will help keep my family and friends safe? Yes. But I'm making this decision because it's actually what I want, and what I think is right."

He wasn't lying, and Derek allowed himself to relax a little. He watched Scott fidget nervously, before giving in to his instinct to bring the Beta onto his side. "Okay. You can join the pack. As long as you're aware that this isn't an instant fix to your problems. Being pack is something you're going to have to devote yourself to."

Scott smiled at him, relieved, rocking onto his heels and back. "I know. I get it, and I'm willing to work for it." He cocked his head to the side. "Okay? So that's it? I'm pack now? Or is there like an initiation thing? Because I don't feel any different." Derek sighed, already regretting his decision a little bit.

"Because I didn't turn you, and you are choosing to join my pack, I need to bite you to make it official," Derek said slowly. "And then you will be bonded to the pack- you will probably feel our presence especially forcefully, because the connection created when a Beta from a different Alpha joins is…strong. Because it isn't just given to you- _you_ are marking your allegiance. Got it?"

Scott blinked, but nodded his head. Derek stepped closer to Scott, who suddenly looked nervous as Derek's fangs extended.

"You're going to heal, remember?" Derek asked, and Scott hastily nodded. Derek reached out and pulled up Scott's shirt, before quickly biting his side. Scott winced, but stayed still as Derek pulled back. The Beta opened his mouth to tell Derek that he still didn't feel any different (other than the pain in his side) when he was suddenly assaulted by a barrage of feelings that were coming from his new packmates. Scott gasped, and stumbled backwards a step.

"I can…feel them. All of them! I don't know how to describe it, but Erica's worried about something, and Boyd is exhausted, and…do I feel Jackson?"

Derek sighed and nodded. "I turned Jackson, so technically he is part of the pack, but he hasn't accepted me as his Alpha, so you won't feel quite the same connection to him. But you'll be able to read the emotions of the rest of us a lot more clearly now, and we can read you."

Scott grinned a little at this new discovery. "So what am I feeling right now?"

Derek rolled his eyes, exasperated, but he zeroed in on Scott's emotions anyway. "Happy. But also…" he stopped, and scowled. "Worried. I can smell the fear on you." He watched the Beta appraisingly, sensing a pang of guilt at his words. "You're worried about Allison, aren't you?" he finished with an accusatory air. Scott's face fell.

"I can't help worrying about Allison. I'm not with her, and my loyalty is going to be to the pack, but I'm not going to stop worrying about her."

Derek sighed deeply. "The humans in your life make you vulnerable," he muttered finally. Scott recognized an opening in the conversation, and glanced briefly at the ground. He had promised to bring it up with Derek, after all.

"Yeah…about that. How would you feel about maybe expanding your pack a little more?" He met Derek's gaze anxiously.

Derek glared at him. "You want me to turn Allison Argent?" he asked dryly, and Scott shook his head.

"I wasn't talking about Allison," the Beta mumbled, shifting uncomfortably.

Derek said nothing for a moment, studying Scott, and then finally shook his head. "No."

"No? What do you mean no? You don't even know-"

"I mean no. I'm not turning anyone else because they're scared, or because they want to be bigger or better or faster. I've done that, and my pack nearly fell apart. Turning shouldn't be a split-second decision."

"But we talked about it, and it's something he's thought about a lot, and he just wants to protect his dad, and-"

"Stiles stays human," Derek said sharply, and Scott frowned at him.

"You _just_ told me that humans make us vulnerable!"

"No, what I said was that humans make _you_ vulnerable. They actually make a pack much stronger. So Stiles stays human."

"Did you just insinuate that I'm a part of the pack?" a third voice joined them. Derek turned, for once caught a little off his guard, as he had been so busy arguing with Scott that he hadn't heard Stiles come up behind them. He let out a growl, and didn't respond.

"That sounds like an affirmative growl to me!" Stiles said cheerily. "I'm pack?! You think of me as part of your were-family? I'm touched. I mean, I kind of expected a bit of recognition after my _heroic _actions in the warehouse- no need to thank me, by the way- but this is-"

"STILES!" Derek cut him off loudly, and Stiles abruptly stopped talking, sobering up a little. Derek's voice returned to a normal volume.

"I'm not going to turn you. I know you're worried about your dad….but fear is not a strong enough motivation to do it. It's a decision that you should make for the right reasons, and I don't think you have them. Do you understand?" Stiles' smile dropped completely, and he gave a shaky nod. Although he wanted to do everything possible to defend the people he loved, and he was willing to become a werewolf out of necessity, he was actually a pretty big fan of being human, and he was a tiny bit relieved that Derek had refused him. At least for now. Of course, the drawback to humanity was the lack of any real means of self-defense against werewolves. Luckily, his best friend seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

"So, we'll protect him, then?" Scott asked, his voice raising an octave in anticipation. "And the sheriff?"

Derek scowled. "Pack takes care of pack," he said begrudgingly, and Stiles quirked a triumphant smile before turning to Scott, who still looked nervous.

"What about my mom? The Alphas live _on my street_, Derek," Scott anxiously implored.

Derek nodded. "I wasn't kidding when I said you should move. Just until we figure out what they want and how to deal with them. Is there anywhere your mom could stay for a few weeks?" Scott bit his lip. His mom could go stay with her sister in Oregon, but that would be a vacation, and she couldn't exactly take weeks of time off of work. Stiles cleared his throat.

"She can stay with me and my dad. You both can," he said quietly, meeting Scott's gaze for a brief moment, which was long enough for the Beta to see the pain in his best friend's eyes. It wouldn't be the first time they stayed with the Stilinskis. Stiles' mother had been good friends with Melissa McCall, and their families (usually minus Scott's father) would often go on trips together- fishing and camping. When Ariana Stilinski passed away, Scott's mom had spent a lot of time helping out Stiles' dad, who was desperately trying to hold himself together enough to take care of Stiles. And at some point between the flurry of funeral preparations and handling the emergence of Stiles' panic attacks, they had spent a few nights at the Stilinski house. A few nights turned into a week, which stretched into two, and for a while, Scott and Stiles would fall asleep lying next to each other, Scott's arm resting protectively around his best friend's chest. And Melissa quietly took up residence in their spare bedroom, coaxing Stiles' dad into eating meals, and cheerfully setting up a movie for the boys upstairs on the nights when the sheriff drank his sorrows away. It had been a terrible few weeks, but even years later, Stiles still looked to Mrs. McCall with a certain amount of admiration for her "supermom" routine during the worst days of his life. And Scott knew that he would feel safer with his mom in the same house as the sheriff. At the very least, two of the people they were struggling to protect would be in one place.

Scott swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. "That would be great," he said softly. Derek, who was watching them intently, gave them a sharp nod.

"Good. And Scott, be very careful around your house until you leave. Don't wolf out, don't attract any attention to yourself. We have an advantage right now because they don't know our scents, but that will only last so long. I'll come by your house tonight to help you figure that out. In the meantime, we have a pack meeting this evening, at seven. If you-"

Derek's cell phone buzzed in his pocket, and he broke off abruptly to check the text. His face fell, and he glared at the phone for a minute. Peter was apparently back in town.

"Peter has some information," Derek muttered, quickly starting for the parking lot without stopping to explain. "Seven o'clock, don't be late," he called over his shoulder, and at an insistent throat clearing from Stiles, he growled out, "_both _of you."

**A/N: Please let me know what you think! I should probably warn you that the next chapter will take a while! Stupid real life, getting in the way! But next up: the rest of the pack adjusts to Scott in the pack, maybe some Jackson and Lydia? And figuring out what the Alphas want, of course! **


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